Defendant enters 'not guilty' plea in murder case

A defendant charged with murder in the shooting death of a Gainesville woman entered a formal not guilty plea Thursday.

Solomon Vinson Hester, 31, made his first court appearance since being indicted on murder charges in the death of his live-in girlfriend, 30-year-old Allison Brownell. The indictment came three days after the Oct. 1 shooting at a home on Belvedere Drive off Price Road.

During the brief arraignment hearing, Superior Court Bonnie Oliver read the charges to Hester, who was represented by Northeastern Judicial Circuit Public Defender Brad Morris. Morris entered the not guilty plea on behalf of his client.